Tasty Treat for Music Lovers

Pitch Perfect Audio is proud to introduce the NEW Apetite Integrated Amplifier, now in production from the house of Shindo!

Using the 6V6 output tube which was originally developed in 1937 by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), the Apetite will be on demonstration very shortly. Using NOS tubes and point to point hand wiring, well, to say we are excited about the availability of this new jewel is an understatement.

The Apetite is $6,995(USD). for a superb 3 input line level preamplifier and 12wpc push/pull amplifer on one compact chassis. It is sure to delight all music enthusiasts.

I’m thrilled to see the reintroduction of the Apetite! Upon listening, friends and family members become interested in obtaining a piece of what they hear from Shindo. However, most of them don’t have the technical ability required and/or the willingness to start with such a large financial investment. I only hope the Apetite can fill that niche…

Now if I can just get Ken to come up with a digital solution that compliments his unique manufacturing abilities, the house of Shindo could cater to a much broader audience. I have no doubt it would be inferior to Shindo analog; however I feel Shindo’s digital product would be both desirable and pleasing to listen to…

Hi Steve, Shindo customers run the gamut – and augmenting your Shindo preamp with a high quality digital source is what most customers do, who are into digital. It’s by no means affecting the reach of Shindo into the homes of those who love music. There is a wide range of digital products that work great with Shindo – most customers going the route of high quality USB Dacs, now a days.

You and I have been utilizing Shindo gear as the mainstay in our respective systems for many years now… There is surely one thing I think we both can agree on after our years of experience with Shindo – Every time a Shindo component is inserted in the chain, the results are almost always intoxicatingly positive. If these positive results could potentially be extended to the many individuals now accepting digital, wouldn’t that be positive to the listener, manufacturer, and those in between? Although Ken will likely not manufacture a Shindo digital source, if one were to become available, I would likely acquire it knowing that the innately musical Shindo synergy would be present. I think you would also agree that the occasional Shindo product found on the used market would not be found as frequently had the listener employed Shindo components exclusively throughout their respective systems.

I’m not sure if I qualify as a Shindo customer who has run the gamut, but I have measured the impedance of 17 different digital sources and subsequently connected them to the Arome. Once I found a source with potential, I tried 13 different digital cables before I found the right mate. I now have begun to understand the level of complexity that Ken Shindo endures when he creates his works of art. Can you tell you struck a nerve???

When it comes to Shindo and digital synergy, I do not feel it is as simple as employing a wide range of digital components or a high quality USB DAC. Shindo and digital can be integrated in such a way they compliment each other extraordinarily well, and I am immensely pleased with my current results, but I do not think it is fair to generalize a means to success with current or prospective Shindo listeners. I was hoping this blog could serve as a place where both long-term and new Shindo owners could share detailed knowledge and experience, thus leading to happier Shindo listeners and more Shindo owners. I, too, sincerely hope that Shindo continues to work its way into the households of those who love music…

“You and I have been utilizing Shindo gear as the mainstay in our respective systems for many years now… There is surely one thing I think we both can agree on after our years of experience with Shindo – Every time a Shindo component is inserted in the chain, the results are almost always intoxicatingly positive.”

Reply:
Absolutely agree – starting with the preamp, adding more Shindo to a system, is almost always a positive introduction. Usually, it is an epiphany. Unfortunately, sometimes adding a new component only highlights how poorly another product is performing. People don’t realize this and blame the newly added product, instead of re-evaluating the products already in their system (which are actually the culprit). Hence.. you see people selling stuff online. Most gear you see on the used market, btw, was bought used to begin, without the assistance of a knowledgeable dealer who has experience integrating products into a well rounded system. Mixing and matching components from various manufacturers is NOT the key to good sound.

Just as an aside – out of my hundreds of satisfied customers, only 2-3 use digital solely. This is a remarkable number and testament to the superb phono capabilities of the Shindo preamps. If I may be so bold as to say, but you have yet to experience your Monbrison preamplifers full capabilities – you are using 50% of what it is designed for – which is the best vinyl playback. I understand your circumstances may not necessitate the ability to add vinyl. That is cool and I’m not going to argue that point. But the digital experience (quite frankly, even the best digital is not vinyl) is still only ‘good’ in the grand scheme of things compared to good vinyl playback. This is an easily demonstrable comparison. This has nothing to do with the preamp, but everything to do with the source.

“I’m not sure if I qualify as a Shindo customer who has run the gamut, but I have measured the impedance of 17 different digital sources and subsequently connected them to the Arome. Once I found a source with potential, I tried 13 different digital cables before I found the right mate. I now have begun to understand the level of complexity that Ken Shindo endures when he creates his works of art…”

Reply:
Like I mentioned, this has nothing to do with the digital source interaction with Shindo – but simply the sound of the digital source you prefer. I applaud you for trying the various digital sources and cables, etc. I’ve done a similar litmus test of sorts..hence my ability to bring to my customers a focused digital product lineup I know sounds great, works great and reliably. The 47 Labs Transports/Dacs are an excellent solution as are the Wavelength Dacs for some folks more computer inclined. Sure there are some excellent products from other companies. For example, many customers have had great success with VRS Audio digital solutions. For the majority of customers – these products bring digital playback to levels unheard of, even a few years ago. I do understand how enjoyable having all your music at your digital fingertips is, believe me.

“I was hoping this blog could serve as a place where both long-term and new Shindo owners could share detailed knowledge and experience, thus leading to happier Shindo listeners and more Shindo owners. I, too, sincerely hope that Shindo continues to work its way into the households of those who love music…”

Absolutely, thanks Steve, that is why I am doing it. I appreciate your enthusiasm, for sure. More good stuff on the horizon!
Best,
-Matt

I suppose they say never say never…. but Shindo told me never:-)
Our biggest obstacle, in my opinion, is the shortage of good speakers on the market. Many don’t realize just how important synergy is. And synergy is never written on a spec sheet.

Absolutely. Judicious matching of the proper speaker is probably one of the most difficult processes. It’s also, besides the source, one of the primary reasons people are not satisfied with their hifi.

Thanks, guys! Great dialogue. Sorry, Matt. I just couldn’t resist letting you get away with your initial politically correct reply…

As you can tell from previous reply, my quest for sonic bliss involving digital and Shindo has not been an easy one. You analog guys have it easy in my opinion… You’ve discovered Shindo, and that’s more than half the battle. Now all you have to do is exclusively employ Shindo components and most importantly, introduce them into the correct listening environment. Now you’re good to go…

I couldn’t agree with my main man, JH more… Speakers truly revealing the nuances and emotion Shindo products are capable of are truly hard to come by. My advice for those trying to assemble a Shindo system is to bite the bullet early and save yourself the frustration and the inevitable future purchases… In other words, stick with something you’ve already found to be good and you’ll ultimately be much happier. One does not have go directly to the pinnacle (ie. the Latours) initially… Shindo offers plenty of other alternatives; however you may have to get creative to make them possible. Talk to Matt and JH and they’ll clue you in…

With regards to Ken building a digital product, I will continue to hope and dream. If anyone could pull it off, he is the one. As I said previously, there is no doubt that his product would be both pleasing to listen to and desirable to many…

Hey, Matt. One last thing… If you ever decide you’d like to increase your customer base from more than two or three individuals who listen exclusively to digital, please let Ken Shindo and me know. I believe we could both disprove your theory stating digital source interaction and Shindo components mean nothing. I found the sound I prefer years ago when I found JH and Shindo… Trying to maintain that same house sound while incorporating digital can only be the result of careful and exact interaction (ie. synergy). This would be a mute point if a Shindo DAC player system were in existence…

If you care to continue to disagree, please simply help me talk Ken into building a digital product. If he can make it happen in typical Shindo-fashion, there is only positive potential for you and your customers. Who knows, the number of people like you and me who truly love and appreciate Shindo could grow exponentially. Just help me talk JH and Ken into building it. I dare you… Actually, if it would prevent current and future Shindo owners from having to go through all the digital trial and error experiments I went through, I double dare you…

I’d like to present a simple offer to you gentlemen… JH, let me post a simple thread in a couple of the online forums soliciting interest in a Shindo-manufactured digital source. The thread would simply read, “Shindo digital source / DAC – Any interest? If nobody answers up, so be it. However, if there is a substantial interest, you have to help lobby Ken to build a digital source that will integrate well with a Squeezebox and a USB input. In a down market, what do have to lose? The only condition would be that Matt and I get to test the beta version of Ken’s digital creation.

Come on, guys. All you have to do is be willing to accept a potential change. I know you’re stepping out on a limb here, but digital is here to stay, so we all might as well join together and figure out how to make it pleasurable. Matt, I know you’re up for it! You voted for the current POTUS and “change”, right! Oh, that’s right… You’re not into politics… What do you say we work together on this???

Shindo isn’t trying to cater to the modern school of audio design i.e. complicated crossovers, small rubbery and plasticky drivers, low sensitivity, low impedance etc. etc. This means high power is not very interesting to him as its not necessary to fulfill his goals. The power outputs are determined by the chosen tubes, not by a power output goal. The market has plenty of 50 watt amps that can drive a wide range of speakers. In my opinion and that of Shindo’s, this is not the way to make an amplifier. Making your amp drive a wide range of speakers spells one thing to our way of thinking- compromise. One visit to Pitch Perfect Audio can show you what following the Shindo philosophy can do.